Something To Protect
by TShadow
Summary: AU Fic. Mike Logan and his friends face a deadly mutant who wants to take their lives and they lose a friend in the fight.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Mike Logan, Lee DeSilva, or Alexie Hoffman. Based on an AU fandom on Livejournal by user Gusthemoose.**

Something To Protect

"They picked the wrong team to fuck with." Mike Logan grunted as he shoved his younger counterparts behind a wall for cover.

It was reminiscent of a scene from a movie. Guns blazing, bullets flying, people dying. After the fact, anyway. Crouched low to the ground in a huddle were Alison Kent, Lee DeSilva, Alexie Hoffman, and Anna Morasca.

"You know how to use this. Stay back, stay low, don't do anything stupid, leave Luciano to me, and don't get yourself killed." Adjusting the bulletproof vest Alexie wore, Anna ran her fingers through his black curly locks before kissing him hard, passionately, almost fearfully. She left her old service weapon in Alexie's hands before straightening up and taking her spot next to Logan.

"That goes double for you, Doc." Mike glanced over his shoulder at Alison, the same twinge of fear in his hazel eyes as the blonde woman nodded.

"Gadget."

Lee's head shot up at mention of his Other name. "Yeah?"

Cracking her knuckles, Anna shifted into a defensive stance. "In my bag are wires, a tazer, some small tools, and random computer parts I salvaged from the dumpster. Along with my cell. See what you can cook up for us." When Lee nodded, Anna and Mike exchanged glances before heading into battle.

"Two of you, with guns." Rolling his shoulders back, Mike just laughed at the two Masucci boys – Tony and Vincenzo – and their semi-automatic weapons. "You should know better. Guns ain't gonna work on me." He picked up a car with ease, balancing it on one hand with a sinister grin.

The battlefield was a junkyard, which only served to benefit Mike and Anna. Plenty of possible projectiles and catalysts for the explosions Anna had become famous for in the underground network of Others. Seeing that Hercules – as Alison had dubbed Mike due to his god-like strength and chiseled body – would keep the gun-toting mobsters busy, Anna darted off. She was searching for Luciano Masucci, the living, breathing weapon of New York City's biggest crime family. The man responsible for killing Alison's sister Lisa. The Other who had helped Anna's father destroy Other Investigations, forcing Andy Viviano into exile and putting Bobby Goren behind bars.

"Well, well, well. Spitfire, my favorite little _belladonna_, we meet again." Chuckling, Luciano hopped off a pile of car parts and approached Anna. He was a tall, lithe man. What he lacked in muscle he made up for with his ability – the Transfiguration Virus had altered his skeletal system. Due to his mutation, Luciano had what Dr. Skoda and various experts had dubbed a "regenerative skeleton". Beneath his greasy black hair, penetrating blue eyes, and fierce grin lay essentially an unlimited weapons supply at his disposal. Much like Anna and Mike, Luciano had been dubbed by the FBI as a _Code Red Other_ – one with abilities so dangerous they were considered a sort of WMD.

Fingers curled into tight fists, she spread her feet wide and scowled. "Stop playing cute, Lucifer, and let's settle this now. You, me, here."

"When are you gonna stop calling me that, Anna? It's hardly suitable for someone as charming and enticing as myself."

Scoffing, she snapped her finger, causing a washer to explode next to Luciano, who barely flinched. "I wouldn't touch you if you paid me. Scumbags like you don't deserve mercy, let alone the right to breathe."

Luciano just chuckled and pulled off his black leather jacket, revealing a line of spikes jutting out from each forearm. "Let the games begin, then."

To an outsider, their fight appeared to be merely a dance. Bodies spinning, twisting and thrusting, as if to a silent movement that consumed them. Accompanied by well-timed explosions and the loud echoes of hollow bone connecting with the Earth and the flames, their dance was a sight to behold. It was a long, drawn-out affair; each side had their chance to shine, to hold the spotlight before the glitter of their time faded quickly and they returned to thrashing, pushing for their turn. Their shot at momentary fame.

Calling it 'explosive' would be an understatement (and a horrible pun). It was a dangerous game, and obviously one Anna had every intention of playing alone. It was the only way to keep Alexie safe. They'd gone so far as to threaten the life of the man she'd fallen madly in love with. The man who wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. The man who fell in love with her all over again after she'd been infected. That was something she could not, _would not_, risk losing.

In the midst of the fray, however, Alexie had left Alison and Lee to watch over Mike (who handled the gunmen with almost comedic ease) while searching out Anna. A green-eyed Italian beauty with an inner fire so strong it scorched those who dared spark it. That was the woman he loved, and with that fire came a strong sense of combative protectiveness and independence. She was going to fight to protect him, and Alexie had no say in the matter when Anna had her mind set on something. But she wasn't alone and Alexie could certainly hold his own. With another Normal anyway. With Luciano he was way in over his head, but he didn't know that.

Debris scattered everywhere as one of Anna's explosions literally knocked Luciano off his feet, the shockwave throwing him back into a pile of junk as Anna took a few steps back, panting lightly. Aside from a few scratches on her person she'd received due to close calls from the projectile bone spikes of her nemesis, Anna was unharmed. Her muscled body and her sleeveless black shirt were coated in a light sweat as dirt clung desperately to her jeans. "Give it up already."

Grunting as he climbed to his feet, Luciano sneered and summoned another array of spikes, this time channeling them through his palms as if they were swords. As Anna faced off with the spiked Other, Alexie shuffled around with the gun drawn, safety off, watching them fight.

"Shit!" Anna cried out when Luciano got close, leaving a gash down her back as she dodged his spike just in time and tumbled to the ground.

_Bang!_ Luciano screamed and doubled over when a bullet burrowed into his shoulder. "Son of a bitch! You!"

Alexie came out of hiding, gun aimed steadily at his lover's attacker. "Anna, are you okay?"

"Damnit, I told you to leave Luciano to me." She groaned and got to her feet, more scared than anything. At this point she began to shake slightly from the excessive use of her ability, needing focus more than ever to fight Luciano. Her powers weren't meant to be used excessively over long distances and it required much more energy to channel her explosions through the air than through use of her hands.

"Oh how cute, a lover's spat." Holding his shoulder with one hand, his piercing blue eyes focused on Alexie as Luciano calculated his next move. With a smirk spreading wide across his sharp features, he turned his back as if retreating. "The hit's still out, _belladonna_."

Lowering his gun as Luciano started walking away, Alexie spun on his heel to glance Anna over for discernable injuries.

"Consider this closing our deal." Flexing his spine, Luciano shot three spikes out rapidly from his back at Alexie before walking away.

"Alexie!" Pushing off the balls of her feet with all her strength, Anna lunged desperately to force him out of the way before a fiery pain shot through her body.

_1…_ Eyes wide, she choked out a pained gasp as she felt the bone lodge itself in her chest.

_2…_ "Anna!" A devastated scream as the second pierced her right shoulder and she dropped to her knees.

_3…_ The final spike shot past her head as the blood spilled to the ground, seeping into the dirt as his tears rained on the Earth.

"Gods… Anna! No!" Alexie had rushed to her side and carefully cradled her in his arms, debating whether or not to remove the spikes. "Help! Someone call a doctor!" He screamed frantically, trying to stop the bleeding from Anna's chest as best as possible.

"Told you to… to leave Luciano to- to me, damnit." Coughing heavily, she spat up some blood before weakly reaching up to touch his face, however briefly she could.

"Why?" He managed to choke out, the tears dripping onto his broken lover's body as he stared at her helplessly.

"I can't- can't live…" Gasping for air as she felt herself slowly begin to slip away, she began to cry silently as her hand fell atop his and she tried with every ounce of her strength to hold it tightly. "I can't live without you, Alexie."

"No… Anna, hang on. Gods, please hang on."

"I love you, Alexie. I—I'll always…" She began to cry even more as her lungs collapsed and she fought to speak. "Always love you. Goodbye, _mi amore_. _Te amo._"

Leaning forward to kiss her lips one last time, Alexie whispered, "I love you too, Anna." Her body went limp and he broke down sobbing as he cradled the woman he loved desperately in his arms.

When Anna's other hand fell to the ground, her engagement ring rolled out of her palm, resting on the bloodstained patch of dirt where she'd sacrificed her life to protect the one thing she couldn't live without.

From the very moment her powers manifested themselves, Anna had been determined to use them to help, not destroy. To protect. And in her final moment, she'd used them to protect that which she held most dear. She'd found an unconditional love, one that had saved her from herself, and gave her strength. Alexie had given her everything.

He had given her something to protect.


End file.
